Who is fit to lead? Sir, – I would like to commend Rabbi Stewart Weiss’s article (“Who counts in Judaism?,” August 31) for spelling out the plainly obvious – it is not for the individual to play God by judging others for their spiritual performance.Rather, each Jew, at the very least when coming to pray, should be awarded the respect in shul to do just that – pray, and in an environment of warmth and kinship.Nonetheless, Rabbi Weiss has erred on a key technicality. Certainly it is true that the synagogue is an appropriate place to draw sinners close; but should they be the ones to lead our prayers or aid in the quorum’s lofty task of summoning the Divine Presence?YONATAN BOOKMAN Glasgow, ScotlandAbsurd situationSir, – We continue to reject any call to extend the settlement construction freeze. “The settlements are an issue... to be discussed in the negotiations themselves,” states the prime minister (“PM won’t discuss construction freeze before negotiations,”August 29).The situation is downright absurd. In the Internet site of our Israeli Foreign Ministry we officially state: “The West Bank and Gaza Strip are disputed territories whose status can only be determined through negotiations.”If, indeed, the territories are “disputed” pending negotiation, what could possibly be more plausible than to halt any activity that might change the character of the disputed territory during the period of negotiation – in other words, not to change the facts on the ground while the issue is being negotiated? Our refusal to obey such elementary rules of good faith suggests that we have no intention to leave the West Bank. This suspicion is supported by the incredible investments that have been made there without halt, for decades.The inevitable conclusion must be that all talk about two states and an amiable solution of the conflict is mere eyewash.ZEEV RAPHAEL HaifaLock up the lashers Sir, – If a religious court in Israel actually has legal authority to order corporal punishment (‘“Sinner’ singer given 39 lashes by rabbis,” August 27), then the law should be changed.If it doesn’t have such authority and the sentence was really carried out as reported, then the judges should be locked up.MARK L. LEVINSONHerzliyaSecurity ignorance Sir, – Having lived in Israel during the time of the bus bombings, I feel that to criticize the security barrier is to be ignorant of the situation and what could happen without it.I lived in the West Bank and have seen the local Arabs walking across the border almost in sight of the check points. I was once in a taxi, when seeing the line of traffic at a check point between Ramallah and Jerusalem, the driver drove up though the houses across open ground, back onto the road and on in to Jerusalem.Without this barrier, it was impossible to prevent suicide bombers from completing their mission.DENNIS MCLEOD Hamilton, New Zealand
September 5: Seen that movie
Terror attacks in the West Bank show peace talks are doomed to failure; rabbis who order corporal punishment should be put in jail
Who is fit to lead? Sir, – I would like to commend Rabbi Stewart Weiss’s article (“Who counts in Judaism?,” August 31) for spelling out the plainly obvious – it is not for the individual to play God by judging others for their spiritual performance.Rather, each Jew, at the very least when coming to pray, should be awarded the respect in shul to do just that – pray, and in an environment of warmth and kinship.Nonetheless, Rabbi Weiss has erred on a key technicality. Certainly it is true that the synagogue is an appropriate place to draw sinners close; but should they be the ones to lead our prayers or aid in the quorum’s lofty task of summoning the Divine Presence?YONATAN BOOKMAN Glasgow, ScotlandAbsurd situationSir, – We continue to reject any call to extend the settlement construction freeze. “The settlements are an issue... to be discussed in the negotiations themselves,” states the prime minister (“PM won’t discuss construction freeze before negotiations,”August 29).The situation is downright absurd. In the Internet site of our Israeli Foreign Ministry we officially state: “The West Bank and Gaza Strip are disputed territories whose status can only be determined through negotiations.”If, indeed, the territories are “disputed” pending negotiation, what could possibly be more plausible than to halt any activity that might change the character of the disputed territory during the period of negotiation – in other words, not to change the facts on the ground while the issue is being negotiated? Our refusal to obey such elementary rules of good faith suggests that we have no intention to leave the West Bank. This suspicion is supported by the incredible investments that have been made there without halt, for decades.The inevitable conclusion must be that all talk about two states and an amiable solution of the conflict is mere eyewash.ZEEV RAPHAEL HaifaLock up the lashers Sir, – If a religious court in Israel actually has legal authority to order corporal punishment (‘“Sinner’ singer given 39 lashes by rabbis,” August 27), then the law should be changed.If it doesn’t have such authority and the sentence was really carried out as reported, then the judges should be locked up.MARK L. LEVINSONHerzliyaSecurity ignorance Sir, – Having lived in Israel during the time of the bus bombings, I feel that to criticize the security barrier is to be ignorant of the situation and what could happen without it.I lived in the West Bank and have seen the local Arabs walking across the border almost in sight of the check points. I was once in a taxi, when seeing the line of traffic at a check point between Ramallah and Jerusalem, the driver drove up though the houses across open ground, back onto the road and on in to Jerusalem.Without this barrier, it was impossible to prevent suicide bombers from completing their mission.DENNIS MCLEOD Hamilton, New Zealand